The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) continued its best endeavours in 2020 to safeguard food safety and maintain a clean and hygienic environment for the people of Hong Kong.
Fighting the virus
Hong Kong was doing its utmost to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and FEHD was very much a part of the effort.
The Department has introduced various anti-epidemic measures, including providing additional street washing teams, rear lane cleansing teams and mobile cleansing teams, and assisting the Centre for Health Protection in cleansing and disinfection of residence with confirmed COVID-19 cases and providing door-to-door domestic waste collection services to the households of confinees.
To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Department has strengthened cleaning, disinfection and rodent control in public markets, and applied anti-microbial coating to the communal areas of markets, as well as public toilets and public bathhouses. Leveraging new technology, we have bought Intelligent Sterilization Robots to enhance the disinfection work in public markets, district operations, cemeteries and crematoria. We have also stepped up inspections at food premises and strictly enforced anti-epidemic regulations.
To provide financial relief to sectors hard hit by the COVID-19 epidemic, including catering business and scheduled premises operators, licensed hawkers, etc., a number of subsidy schemes under four rounds of the Anti-epidemic Fund (AEF) were implemented. For instance, a subsidy scheme for promotion of contactless payment in public markets was launched in October 2020 under the third round of the AEF, with a view to reducing the risk of virus transmission in markets due to the handling of cash.
The Department mandated weekly COVID-19 testing on 1,200 government and contractor staff members and other stakeholders working in Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse (SSSH) from late July 2020. Besides, entry restriction has been implemented since August 2020, whereby only persons with negative COVID-19 test result of the last 7 days are allowed to enter SSSH. Voluntary free COVID-19 testing services were also arranged for target groups, including high-exposure groups such as front-line staff of catering businesses, staff of market stalls, licensed hawkers and staff of cold stores, to safeguard public health.
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) has published Food Safety Advice on Prevention of COVID-19 and FAQs and articles to help members of the public understand more about COVID-19 and food safety. The CFS has also published advisories to the trade, such as food premises, food handlers, food delivery agents, on prevention of COVID-19. Since June 2020, the CFS has been testing samples of frozen imported food and food packaging for COVID-19 virus.
Environmental Hygiene
Public Markets and Cooked Food Centres
FEHD Skylight Market (formerly known as Tin Shui Wai Temporary Market) commenced operation in December 2020. The Government also announced in June 2021 the selection of a suitable site in Tung Chung Town Centre for establishment of a temporary market which is expected to be completed for commissioning in the fourth quarter of 2022 at the soonest.
The Government is pursuing six new permanent public market projects in Tin Shui Wai, Tung Chung Town Centre, Tseung Kwan O, Tung Chung New Town Extension, Kwu Tung North New Development Area (NDA) and Hung Shui Kiu NDA. These projects are at different stages of planning. The Government will consider adopting new approaches to the design, construction and operation of these projects. The Department is working with relevant government departments in delivering these new markets so as to provide more choices to the public in purchasing fresh provisions.
The Government has earmarked $2 billion for the 10-year Market Modernisation Programme (MMP) to improve the operating environment of public markets. The overhaul of Aberdeen Market is the pioneering project of the MMP. Our target is to commence the proposed overhaul works in the third quarter of 2021 for completion within 2022. The Department is also conducting preparation and consultation work for the overhaul projects in Yeung Uk Road Market, Ngau Tau Kok Market and Kowloon City Market, and carrying out minor refurbishment or improvement works in 11 public markets under the MMP.
Apart from the development of new public markets, the Department is pressing ahead the overhaul of Aberdeen Market, the pioneering project of the 10-year MMP. Our target is to commence the proposed overhaul works in the third quarter of 2021 for completion in 2022. The Department is also conducting preparation and consultation work for the overhaul projects in Yeung Uk Road Market, Ngau Tau Kok Market and Kowloon City Market, and carrying out the minor refurbishment or improvement works for 11 public markets under the MMP.
Hawker management
The Department identified 435 vacant fixed hawker pitches for re-allocation in late 2019. By the end of 2020, 431 pitches had been selected by eligible applicants.
Public toilets
The Government allocated additional resources of over $600 million to carry out refurbishment or facelifting works for about 240 public toilets of the Department in phases over five years from 2019-20, so as to improve their installations and the level of hygiene. During the year, 51 public toilets were refurbished or facelifted, including 2 public toilets at major tourist spots.
To improve the hygiene conditions of public toilets, we have initiated deep cleansing operations at all public toilets at major tourist spots, stepped up inspections of the cleansing work, and are trying out new technologies.
Rodent disinfestation
On rodent prevention and control, the Department conducted two phases of a territory-wide campaign, and two other rounds of operation in target areas to strengthen rodent disinfestation and control at the district level. In 2020, the Department filled 12,347 rat holes, collected 31,988 dead rodents, caught 28,872 live rodents and handled 10,331 complaints.
The Department is trying out thermal imaging cameras which use artificial intelligence to capture thermal images, so as to monitor the extent of rodent activities. Initial trial results showed that the technology was effective in enhancing and evaluating anti-rodent operations.
Mosquito prevention & control
In view of a local case of dengue fever in 2020, the Department deployed additional pest control teams to sustain the efforts in mosquito control. The four Pest Control Inspection Teams stepped up inspection of construction sites and enforcement action at mosquito breeding places.
The All-out Anti-mosquito Operation has been conducted since 15 April 2020 until the end of the rainy season with a view to suppressing the adult mosquito population and eradicating any possibly infected mosquitoes. An inter-departmental Anti-mosquito Campaign was launched in three phases in 2020.
Since April 2020, the Department has been using a newly designed gravidtrap to replace ovitrap as a tool for surveillance of dengue vector mosquitoes. At the same time, we are releasing every month, on the FEHD website, the gravidtrap index and density index of each surveyed area in the past two phases, in order to keep the public abreast of the latest situation of mosquito infestation and help all parties concerned take timely anti-mosquito measures.
C&C services, Green Burial and Private Columbaria
By the end of 2020, over 5,700 persons have signed up in the Green Burial Central Register which was set up in 2019.
Tsang Tsui Columbarium at Tuen Mum and Block A of Wo Hop Shek Columbarium Phase VI at Fanling were commissioned in May and November 2020 respectively.
The Department invited applications for 44,950 extendable public niches at Tsang Tsui Columbarium and Wo Hop Shek Columbarium Phase VI from mid May 2020. The drawing of lots and computer balloting took place on 21 October 2020. The new extendable public niches at Tsang Tsui Columbarium would be allocated on a monthly basis from 1 December 2020 to 30 November 2021.
As at 31 December 2020, the Private Columbaria Licensing Board (PCLB) had issued six licences and one exemption; given approvals in principle for two licence applications, one exemption application and nine temporary suspension of liability applications; and refused 27 private columbaria's applications for specified instruments. 238 applications for specified instruments submitted by 99 private columbaria were being processed by the PCLB.
Food Safety
Food surveillance and risk assessment
In 2020, about 65,300 food samples were taken by the CFS. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.8 per cent, which was comparable to the results in recent years. This indicates that food safety has been maintained at a high standard in Hong Kong.
The CFS released the results of several risk assessment projects, namely "Glycidyl Esters in Edible Fats and Oils and Infant Formula", "Sodium Content in Local Siu-mei and Lo-mei" and "Trans Fats and Sugar Contents of Cakes in Local Market". The latter two studies were conducted jointly with the Consumer Council.
Food Standards
The Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) (Amendment) Regulation 2018, which stipulated the updated standards for metallic contamination in food, took full effect from 1 November 2020 on all kinds of foods. The amendments enhance regulatory control and update the standards, with a view to better protecting public health, facilitating effective regulation and aligning Hong Kong's standard with the international ones.
The Government held a three-month public consultation, from 11 December 2020 to 15 March 2021, on the Proposed Amendments to the Harmful Substances in Food Regulations. The amendments aimed at strengthening the regulatory regime of harmful substances in food, including partially hydrogenated oils (the main source of industrially-produced trans fats (IP-TFAs)) and mycotoxins. In this connection, we have published a Guidance to Replace Industrially-produced Trans Fats in Food to encourage and help the trade to provide healthier food.
Risk Communication
During the year, the CFS launched a year-round Food Safety Day campaign with "Eat Safe! Know Your High-risk Foods" as the theme, and continued running the "Hong Kong's Action on Salt and Sugar Reduction" programme, extending the sodium reduction targets to non-prepackaged white bread and wholemeal bread. A related "Less Sugar Friday" campaign offered customers a $2 discount when they bought low-sugar or sugar-free beverages from participating tea shops on Fridays.
Food Trader Portal
In 2020, the Food Trader Portal (FTP) launched various new services, allowing online applications for import licence for meat and poultry as well as import permission for game, meat (including prohibited meat) and poultry. Importers of milk and frozen confections can also submit electronic applications for import permission and report the arrival of their consignments online. By the end of 2020, about 90% of applications for import licences and import permission had been submitted and granted through the FTP.